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The
TIPU Sultan's fighting sword was sold for £175,000 ($ 285
520) in an auction in London
on Friday. It was sold to an unnamed private collector. The
sword was one of six belonging to Tipu Sultan, due to be sold
in London in September, that are known to have belonged to the
ruler, according to the UK auctioneers responsible for the
sale (Deccan Herald.)
Other items to be sold from the Baird collection were
to include a silver casket, also taken from the Srirangapatnam
Palace and valued at between £6,000 and £8,000, as well as a
gold medal awarded to Scottish Imperial general David Baird
Baird for his role in the successful storming of Tipu’s
residence in India 1799. (Deccan Herald)
The
fighting sword of 18th century Muslim Indian hero was given to
the British general who defeated him through a conspiracy.
Tipu Sultan’s sword was presented to David Baird by
the head of the British forces Lord George Harris following
the capture of the sultan's stronghold at Seringapatam in
southern
India
in 1799. Baird had earlier been captured by Tipu’s
forces in an battle in 1780, only to be released as part of a
prisoner exchange in 1784.(Deccan Herald)
The
significance of the sword is that it was taken from Sultan
Tipu’s bedroom by British forces during the Battle of
Srirangapatnam in 1799. (Deccan Herald)
Perso-Arabic
Inscriptions
"The
sword of the Kingdom", is inscribed on the blade in
Arabic. In addition the blade is inscribed: “The Sword of
Tippoo Sultan found in the bed chamber after Srirangapatnam
was taken by storm on 4th May 1799 and presented by the Army
to General Baird through their commander Major General Harris
as a token of their high opinion and his courage and conduct
in the assault which he commanded and in which Tippoo Sultan
was slain.” (Deccan Herald)
The
sword is described by the auctioneers as a “single edged
weapon with a 91 cm long blade and an impressive hilt” inlaid
with Arabic inscriptions. The back edge of the blade bears a
Perso-Arabic inscription, “Sword of the Ruler”. The
scabbard of wood, covered in green velvet, has mounts in part
decorated with Tipu’s favoured tiger stripe design. (Deccan
Herald)
The
Tiger Of Mysore
Tipu Sultan, who died in the battle, was known as the "Tiger
of Mysore" and was considered an enlightened ruler
with very close relations with the French. British
spies had reported that Napoleon was equipping a huge fleet to
sail to India. Wellesley knew that this would threaten the
British position and so moved to destroy the one ally France
still had in India.
Tipu
Sultan's father, Sultan Hyder Ali, made himself Muslim
ruler of the Mysore
region of southern India
and Tipu took over after his death in 1782. The
fourth, and final, Mysore War took place in 1799.
Tipu’s
sword was among a number of priceless artifacts looted by
British forces at the time and taken back to the United
Kingdom. Among the other treasures was a magnificent tiger’s
head adorned in gold leaf, which was part of Tipu's
throne, as well as a jewelled Bird of Paradise. Both are now
part of the Queen’s Royal Collection and are stored
at Windsor Castle outside London.
The final defeat of the sultan enabled the British to secure
control of all of southern India
and lay the foundations for future British Rule. The Sultan
had built a chain of
excellent roads, constructed tanks and dams to promote
agriculture. He introduced new industries, promoted trade and
commerce on a large scale. Tipu prohibited the production and
distribution of liquor and other intoxicants in Mysore. He
also built and fortified numerous forts and many palaces,
which were demolished by the British after his death.
Bangalore Summer Palace still survives and is a remnant of his
grand rule.
Murals
on the inside walls of the Summer Palace in Bangalore, India.
Advanced
Munitions
Tipu
Sultan was the first Muslim of India who produced and used
latest arms and missiles against the British in 17th century.
At
a NASA's flight facility at Wallop Island,
Virginia, USA a painting prominently displayed in the
reception lobby 'because the soldiers on the side launching
rockets were not white, but dark-skinned ', with South
Asian features.
When Tipu was killed, the British captured more than 700
rockets and subsystems of 900 rockets in the battle of
Turukhanahally in 1799. His army had 27 brigades called
Kushoons, and each brigade had a company of rocket men, called
Jourks. Tipu Sultan reigned 1782-1799 and died in May 1799,
fighting the combined forces of British, the Nizam of
Hyderabad and the Marattas.
These rockets had been taken to England
by William Congreave and were subjected by the British to what
is called "reverse engineering" today. Of
course, the young scientist commented to himself that the
British could do it because there was no GATT, IPR Act, or
patent regime at that time, and 'with the death of Tipu
Sultan, Indian rocketry met its demise'.
Further
Reading:
http://www.storyofpakistan.com/person.asp?perid=P073
Tipu Sultan, was
the eldest son of Haider Ali, was born on December 10, 1750 at
Devanhalli. From his early years, he was trained in the art of
warfare and at the age of 15 accompanied his father Haider
Ali, the ruler of Mysore, to various military campaigns.
After the treaty at
Seringapatam, Tipu Sultan did not waste his time and made
extensive preparations against the British. He had rebuilt his
war machine in the shortest possible time with the help of the
French. The British regarded it as a violation of the treaty.
This led to the start of the fourth Anglo-Mysore war in 1798
with the help of the Nizam.
The fourth son of
the Nizam-ul-Mulk, Nizam Ali Khan was born on 24th February,
1734. He assumed the Subedari of the Deccan at the age of 28
years and ruled the Deccan for almost 42 years - The longest
period among the Nizams. His reign was one of the most
important chapters in the history of the Asaf Juhi dynasty.
Among his efforts to consolidate the Nizam empire was the
shift of the Deccan capital from Aurangabad to Hyderabad. He
ruled the Deccan at a most critical period. He protected the
Deccan from the attack of the Marathas and Tippu Sultan of
Mysore by signing a mutual protection treaty with the British.
The French were
unable to provide the needed support to Tipu Sultan. Tipu
Sultan retreated to his capital and continued fighting till he
breathed his last in May 1799. Tipu Sultan is buried at a
mausoleum that he himself had built [see pic], along with his
father Haider Ali and his mother Fatima Begum.
References:
Bhatia,Shyam.
Deccan Herald, last retrieved, 21st September 2003 http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/aug
05/i5.asp
Beatson,
Alexander. A View of the Origin and Conduct of the War with
Tippoo Sultan, 1800.
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